Washing machine



, I ll in Jan.- 6, 1931. J. EQKHARD 1,737,427

WASHING mourns Original Fi led Sept. 1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. ECKHARDWASHING cams Jan. 6; 1931.

ori inal Filed Sept 1, 192sv 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' gwue'ntov Patented Jan.6,1931

uirso- ATES JOHN EoKHAian, OF'BUFFALO, new YonK, ASSIGNOR T STAR LAUNDRYMACHINE CORPORATION, or BUFFALO, new YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORKWASHING MACHINE Application filed September 1, 1926, Serial No. 132,952.Renewed May 27, 1930.

This invention relates to a domestic washing -machine for washingclothes and the like, and more particularly to that type of washingmachine in which the articles to be washed are placed in a horizontaldrum and the drum rotated alternately in opposite directions so as totumble the clothes about and cause them tobe rubbed by the inside of thedrum. I I

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple, strong andinexpensive washing machine of this character in which the velocity ofthe drum increases until it reaches the middle of its period and thengradually decreases until it reaches the end ofits movement, when itsrotation is reversed, the velocity of the reverse rotation being variedin the same manner as the original rotation. A further object is toaccomplish this alternating movement of the drumrwith little noise andvibration and with minimum wear upon the driving mechanism and the motoroperating the same.

Another object is to provide a simple clutch for throwing the drum intoand out of operative relation with the driving mesh anism and whichpermits the drum to be readily removed from the tub.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure v1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the washing machine.Figure 2 is a perspective View of spring arms which move the drumlongitudinally and operate the clutch. Figure 3 is a fragmentaryperspectivev view of a portion of the driving mechanism. Figure 4 is atransverse section taken on line 44, Fig. 1. Figure 5 is a sideelevation of a portion of the driving mechanism. Figure 6 is a sectiontaken on line 66, Fig. 4:. Figure 7 is a fragmentary view similar toFig. 6 showing the rack removed.

J Similar reference numerals refer to the same parts in each of theseveral figures.

As shown in the drawings, this washing machine is supported by arectangular frame made of angle irons. his frame comprises four uprights8 arranged at the corners and forming legs which are supported bycasters 9, upper and lower longitudinal bars 10 and 11, extendingbetween these uprights, upper and lower cross bars 12 and 13 betweenthese uprights, and a cross bar 1 1 secured at its opposite ends to theupper longitudinal bars 10 adjacent one end of the machine. This frameis enclosed in part by rectangular side panels 15 which are bounded bythe uprights and longitudinal bars, an end panel 16 extending betweenthe uprights and cross bars 12 and 13 at one end of the machine, and ahorizontal rectangular panel 17 extending between the cross bars 14 and12 and the upper longitudinal bars 10 and forming a table on which theclothes can be placed preparatory to wringing them. The end of themachine adjacent the-table 17 is open and may be covered by any suitableclosure such as a door (not shown) thereby rendering the drivingmechanism below the table accessible. for cleaning, adjustment, orrepairs.

The tub 18 in which the drum is rotated and which contains the washingsolution is hung from the frame bars 10, 12 and 1 1 and has asemi-cylindrical bottom, and end walls 19 and 20. This tub is preferablymade of copper and is supported from the frame in any well known andapproved manner. Within this tub is arranged the drum 21 in which theclothes are placed. This drum is preferably made of sheetmetal andprovided with the usual 'door 0r closure (not shown) through which theclothes are introduced, and has anumber of holes or openings 22 whichpermit the washing solution to circulate through the clothes andthoroughly wash them. Adjacent the wall of the tub the drum is providedwith a hub 23 having an extended cylindrical bearing portion 24,an'annular flange 25 at its outer end and an axial square socket 26which receives the square head 27 of a drive shaft 28. This hub issupported by bracket 29 which, as best shown in Fig. 3, comprises a backplate 30 adapted to be secured to the end wall of the tub and a rim 31which is spaced from the back plate by webs 32- The bearing portion 24of the hub rests on this rim, and is of sufficient extent to permit thewithdrawal of the hub free from the driving head 27, these 1 gages theannular flange or shoulder provided at the end of the hub and thuslimitsparts thereby forming a clutch which is actuated by longitudinalmovement of the drum to couple and uncouple the drum with the drivingmechanism. The bearing rim 31 on thisbracket projects upwardly from thelowermost web 32 and forms a'shoulde'r which en-' the longitudinalmovement of the drum and prevents the hub from sliding ofl the bracketand allowing the drum to drop to thebottom' of the tub, which mightotherwise occur. It will be noted that the bearing rim '31 is of U formandfl'ared' outwardly atthe top a j suflicient extent to insure theproper positioning of thehub and regardless of how i arm 35 is in theform of a spring armor operating lever extendingalong one side of thetub and bearing against a bracket 36which bracket has recessed portionsin which the springarm is held." Suitably secured to the pivotallysecured portion 33 of this arm is a spring arm 37 which extendsdownwardly and isofV' form, thereby forming a hearing which supports ahub 38' secured to-the adj acent end of the drum. This hub is providedwith an annular groove 39 in which the 3 spring arm 'is'arranged asshown in'Fig. 1, so that uponmoving the arm, the drumis movedlongitudinally and theclutch operated thereby; To couple the clutch, thearm 35 is raised and caught in the upper part ofthe notched bracket'36.This forces the depend ing spring arm 37 inwardly, and when the head 27of the clutchcomes into. proper register with-the recess 26, the drum ismoved longitudinally and the clutch coupled. To

uncouple the clutch, thearm 35" is moved downwardly, and the drum isthereby withdrawn from engagement with the operating mechanism by theoutward movement ofthe arm 37. The drum can thenbe readily removed fromthe tub in order to thoroughly clean the tub by simply lifting the same.The drum can then be replaced, the hub thereof being automaticallyengaged bythev arm 37, and the bracket 29, the arm 37' being offsetinwardly for this purposeas bestshown in Fig. 1. When the drum iscoupled .tothe driving mechanism the spring-arm 37 holds it; yieldinglyin engagement with thedriving'head, thereby eliminating noise, wear andvibration. 7 V

The drive shaft 28. is journaled in a bearing 40'which is secured vinany'suitable man secured to the drive shaft.

ner to the end wall 20of the tub and adjacent the outer end of thishearing a pinion 41 is The shaft preferably extends to the end of themachine and is journaled in a bearing 42 mounted on a. cross bar 43. Thepinion is driven by a rack 44 which 'meshes with the underside of thepinion and is held in engagement therewithby a casing 45, whichsurroundsthe pinion and rack and'is rotatablyim'ounted on the driveshaft 28. This casing is made of two sections oined by bolts 46 and hasa semicircular porti-on in which vthe pinion is arranged, anda lowerportion-which forms a guideway 47 which guideway extends through thecasing and receives the rack.

On opposite sides of this'guitEway tongues 48 are provided which areslidingly arranged in longitudinal grooves 49 pro- 'vided in therack'and serve to positively hold the rack in proper mesh with thepinion. This casing operatesto positively hold the rack and pinionin'p'roper mesh and thereby eliminates the objectionable noiseandfriction caused by improper spaced; relation between the teeth oftherack'and the pinion.

To guard the rack and preventpossible injury to the operator guards-64are formed integrally with the casing and extendover the rack. V I Y i 6Adjacent the lower end of the rack a gear housing 50 is mounted on crossbars 51; In

this housing is journ'aled a shaft 52 carrying a gear wheel 53 -and acrank arm- 54arranged outside of the housing. To the outer end of thiscrank arm is 'pivotally secured a rod 55 which is secured at itsupperend to the lower end'of'therack 44 in any'well known and approvedmanner. The gear 53 is driven by aworm wheel 56 secured to a verticalshaft 57 which shaft extends upwardly through the table'l'? and drivesa'wringer (not shown) through which the clothes are run after they havebeen washed. At its lower end this shaft carries a gear wheel 58 whichis driven by va'horizontal'worm gear 59 mounted on a shaft'60. This wormgear is turned by a pulley 61 which is mounted on'the shaft and is.connected'to the operating motor 62 by a belt drive 63. The motorispreferably arrangedon the opposite side of theframe and supported byhangers 65 from the cross bars 51. 1 1

It is apparent that as thecrank arm 54 is slowly rotated by thereducing' -gearing just described, the rack is reciprocated forwardlyand backwardly thereby alternately rotating the pinion 41 and the.dru1n21 in oppositedirections. The throw of the crank arm 54* ispreferably calculatedto impart about two revolutions tothe drum on eachstroke of the rack. It will be noted that the velocity of the drum isvaried, the velocity of the drum being greatest during the middleinasmuch as at this time the crank arm 54 is substantially perpendicularto the rack. As the crank arm approaches the end of its stroke, the rateof travel of the rack is decreased and is stopped completely when thecrank arm is in parallelism with the rack, at which time the reverserotation of the drum is slowly started, the velocity increasing as thecrank arm reaches the middle of its stroke. By this means the reversalof the rotation of the drum is eflected quietly and with the minimumwear on the driving mechanism.

As a whole, this invention is extremely simple and reliable inoperation, is easily 0perated by one having? little mechanical knowledgeor skill, and is not liable to get out of order with severe use.

I claim as my invention: 7

In a washing machine, a housing, a tub mounted in said housing, ahorizontal drum mounted in said tub, a shaft'arranged axially of saiddrum and adapted'to rotate the same, said shaft extending through saidtub, a pinion fixed to said shaft and arranged adjacent the outer sideof said tub and within said housing, a relatively long straight rackmeshing with said pinion, a crank arm operatively v connected with saidrack and adapted when turned to reciprocate said rack and turn saidpinion a plurality of times, means for rotating said crank arm and acasing rotatably mounted on said shaft and supporting said rack inengagement with said pinion, said casing being composed of a bodyportion arranged between said pinion and tub and having a tongue on theside adjacent he pinion, a cover arranged on the opposite side of thepinion and having a tongue opposing said first named tongue, said rackbeing provided with grooves on its opposite sides receiving the tongueson the body portion and the cover plate, and bolts securin said coverplate to said body portion, where y upon removing said cover plate saidrack can be moved laterally into and out of engagement with said pinion.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

JOHN ECKHARD.

